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Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

I would love to hear another aircraft break the sound barrier. From what I understand Edwards air show is cancelled until further notice, and going to see the space shuttle is an unpredictable affair. I live in South Carolina so the only semi-practical way to hear one is to wait offshore until I get lucky and one of the training flights makes my day. Flying around in my Mooney this weekend I spoke to Shaw approach and asked if I could get some locations and times of when this occured(long shot I know) and the controller told me they dont know unitl they receive flight plans each day. I wonder if someone can give me some hints on times and locations, or a phone # to call to get said info.

Also, I can go about 170 knots true up to 18K feet, and up to 190 knots at 8K. If possible I would love to pull along side an F-16 and get some in flight pics. I would be more than willing to meet any of you in the Gamecock MOA or in one of the offshore warning areas if this is possible. This may sound absurd to some of you but I was able to pull this off on my way to Sun and Fun this year with a C-130 that was holding just north of Savannah, GA. All it took was a simple radio call and they obliged. Thanks again guys, the wife and I were really proud Americans watching that giant ship pass by!! We werent able to get the Camera in time and just enjoyed the view.

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Elite Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 1175 Status: Offline

Your best shot at "pulling along side of a F-16" is while it is still parked on the ramp.

I would think more then likely they will be pulling along side of you. Keep asking and checking and you might still get a good photo op.

Purple

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

Purplehaze wrote:

Your best shot at "pulling along side of a F-16" is while it is still parked on the ramp.

I would think more then likely they will be pulling along side of you. Keep asking and checking and you might still get a good photo op.

Purple

I agree, otherwise I would be playing a teribble game of turtle catching up to rabbit. I should note that the C-130 pulled alongside of me and quickly passed me, I guess they were doing a good 50 knots faster than me as i had set up for avgas-is- expensive cruise mode at 160 knots. And they were probably throttled back at 200 knots or so.

Elite Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 666 Status: Offline

Public Affairs is the sole release authority regarding information about Shaw AFB, its mission, and its personnel.
For Information or Questions Please call 803-895-2019

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

I will call public affairs....I wonder how far that will get me....

Elite Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 666 Status: Offline

The space shuttle has the best of all of them. It can be heard as far away as Tampa. If you fly into Cocoa Beach airport a day in advance you'll have a front row seat. I lived just south of Cocoa and sometimes the double boom would send ripples across my pool. You get use to the shaking and rattling after awhile.
http://www.flairport.com/

Maybe a flight to washington / the white house, at best without filling a flight plan, will give you decent photop ops

If he does that, then I'll have to get involved....

If you do, make sure it's at a decent time of the day, I hate being woken up in the middle of the night...

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

ACMIguy wrote:

The space shuttle has the best of all of them. It can be heard as far away as Tampa. If you fly into Cocoa Beach airport a day in advance you'll have a front row seat. I lived just south of Cocoa and sometimes the double boom would send ripples across my pool. You get use to the shaking and rattling after awhile.
http://www.flairport.com/

Sweet...its coming home in a week or so. I will have to give it a try.

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

hansundfranz wrote:

Maybe a flight to washington / the white house, at best without filling a flight plan, will give you decent photop ops

I love my country and the freedom that it affords. Less than 7 years ago it was perfectly acceptable to fly over the white house and washington and admire the capitol. Because of the actions of a few the area is off limits. Too bad I cant just walk in a the local FSDO, qualify as a competent person, and get a temporary overflight waiver.

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

Block25Crewchief wrote:

If he does that, then I'll have to get involved....

If you do, make sure it's at a decent time of the day, I hate being woken up in the middle of the night...

Doing that would cost me what I hold dearest - my pilots certificate. I should mention that I missed a photo op while on fire patrol sometime in 05. I was flying VFR about 5 miles east of McEntire. 4 F-16's passed on my left and banked hard to the right as they were approaching to land. They were probably about 500 feet away which is close in the air, but I didnt have a camera. As accomodating as most of the controllers and pilots seem to be, they probably would have come around again for a photo. The point of my thread is not to seem like some yahoo trying to get shot down over Washington. The point is that I appreciate and admire aircraft, especially fighter jets and their awesome capabilities. Many civilian pilots are scared to death of getting close to any aircraft in flight (defined as less than 1/4 mile). But if any of you jet jocks are out and about and see or hear N4512H in the vicinity, then proudly pull along side of me and I will beam with pride.

Newbie Joined: Aug 28, 2007 Posts: 3 Status: Offline

You want some shaw jets just go off your flight plan don't contact ATC and they will be right be side you in due time. (I too ask that you do it at a decent hour, i dont like get up in the middle of the night either)

As a pilot at Shaw I can tell you that your best bet of hearing a boom is by boating offshore. Since the area off the coast of Myrtle Beach down to Charleston is a warning area you are not allowed to fly in it while it is active. Additionally, it is outside the ADIZ so good luck getting back in if you are VFR. Your best bet for being intercepted by a Viper is to call the base and ask to be connected with the Alert Detachment. You may be able to volunteer your services so the O.N.E. alert guys can get some realistic training. I'm not sure how probable that is but I can assure you that no Viper guy will join up on you in a MOA for pictures.

Newbie Joined: Jun 02, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

Magnum wrote:

As a pilot at Shaw I can tell you that your best bet of hearing a boom is by boating offshore. Since the area off the coast of Myrtle Beach down to Charleston is a warning area you are not allowed to fly in it while it is active. Additionally, it is outside the ADIZ so good luck getting back in if you are VFR. Your best bet for being intercepted by a Viper is to call the base and ask to be connected with the Alert Detachment. You may be able to volunteer your services so the O.N.E. alert guys can get some realistic training. I'm not sure how probable that is but I can assure you that no Viper guy will join up on you in a MOA for pictures.

Thanks a million for the info. I have heard a boom a few years ago scuba diving offshore during the week. Its seldom that I go diving during the week so that is probably why I havent heard more of them. However, if I could somehow get a better idea of when its most probable to occur I could plan the offshore trip better.

Warning areas are not restricted at any time. I have a few times traveled offshore in the warning areas(not to see fighers) and all you have to do to cross back over the ADIZ is call up ATC for flight following. If you read the FAR's it says that you must file an DVFR or IFR flight plan to cross the ADIZ. In practice this is not how its done, as a matter of fact a shaw controller laughed at me for mentioning a "DVFR" flight plan while transitioning their airspace on my way offshore of Georgetown. Nobody in this area has really heard of a DVFR, in Florida they know what it is but usually everyone just gets flight following and that does the trick. I dont want to sound like I am calling you out, please dont take it that way, I just want to spread the most accurate info when possible.

I will call public relations in a few hours and post what happens here. Thanks againg for the info.

No worries bvaught. We hardly ever go VFR across the ADIZ so I guess I thought it was more complicated in actual practice. If you are able to some how get an idea of the W-177 schedule you could almost guarantee hearing a boom as we mostly do air to air out there and routinely get over the mach for those missions. I usually try to go "boat watching" with any extra gas I have also.

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